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March 13
1800s *1886: **Via a transatlantic telegraph from Paris, American Association 40-game winner Bob Caruthers agrees to terms with St. Louis Browns owner Chris von der Ahe. Caruther's well-publicized holdout will earn him the nickname "Parisian Bob." **Frank Baker is born in Trappe, Maryland. A third baseman and left handed hitter, Baker will guide the Philadelphia Athletics to three World Series championships. Nicknamed “Home Run” during the 1911 WS, in which he hit a go-ahead home run off Rube Marquard in Game Two and a ninth-inning game-tying home run off Christy Mathewson in Game Three, Baker will led the American League in home runs for four consecutive seasons, twice led the league in RBI, and bat .363 in six Series. Baker will Hall of Fame honors in 1955. *1887 - After a week of conditioning in Macon, Georgia, the Detroit Wolverines National League club team begins a six-week spring exhibition tour through the South and Midwest. 1900s 1910s *1917 - After hearing that Gabby Street had caught a ball dropped off the Washington Monument in 1908, Brooklyn Dodgers manager Wilbert Robinson bragged that he could catch a ball dropped from an airplane at spring training, even though he was in his mid-50s and well above his playing weight. Robinson circled unsteadily under the descending spheroid. Instead, a grapefruit was secretly substituted and it exploded on impact with his glove. Once he felt the ooze, Robinson thought it was blood, and screamed that he was dying until he tasted the juice. He later conceded that he probably would have been killed if a real baseball had been dropped from the plane. Aviatrix Ruth Law dropped the grapefruit as outfielder Casey Stengel assumed culprit of the switch. 1920s 1930s *1937 - Lou Gehrig signs with the New York Yankees for $38,000 and $750 signing bonus. Gehrig will play his first spring training game on March 20 collecting two runs batted in as the Yankees beat the Boston Bees, 5–3. 1940s *1943 - The major leagues approve a new official ball manufactured by Spalding Company for the upcoming season. Instead of the usual combination of cork and rubber, the inside of the ball is made up of recycled cork and balata, materials not needed in the war effort. Officials insist the ball will have the resiliency of the 1939 ball, but the players will express with dismay that they cannot drive the new ball and point out the dearth of runs and homers in 1942 even with the old ball. *1944 - It's True, Cy Young's middle name is not Tucumseh, as generally accepted, but the middle initial T really stands for True. 1950s *1953 - Braves owner Lou Perini announces he will seek permission from the National League to move his franchise from Boston to Milwaukee. The day will become known as 'Black Friday' in Beantown. *1954 - Milwaukee Braves outfielder Bobby Thomson breaks his ankle while sliding into a base during a spring training game. The 1951 National League playoff hero is replaced by a promising prospect named Hank Aaron. Thomson will be out until July 14. 1960s *1960 - The Chicago White Sox unveil an important uniform innovation. The Sox’ road uniforms feature players’ names on the backs of the jerseys, marking the first time that players’ names will appear on major league uniforms. The innovation will make it easier for fans watching games on television to identify the players on the field. The idea is yet another creation of colorful White Sox owner and innovator Bill Veeck. *1969 - In addition to this year's lower mound and tightened strike zone, MLB try an experiment ball with 10% more resiliency for a spring training game between the Mets and Tigers in Lakeland, Florida. It has an all-rubber center instead of a cork and rubber core, and the seams are higher than the regular ball. Mets pitcher Don Cardwell surrenders three home runs in the 4th inning to Dick McAuliffe, Norm Cash, and Gates Brown in the Tigers' 7–4 victory. Tomorrow, in Phoenix, Arizona, the same ball is used in the Giants 13–1 win over the Angels, with Bobby Bonds hitting the only two homers off George Brunet. The players agree the ball is definitely livelier and sounded louder coming off the bat. 1970s 1980s *1981 - The California Angels sign free agent Rick Burleson to a six-year contract worth $4.2 million, making him the highest paid shortstop in the major leagues. A former Boston Red Sox standout, Burleson will bat .293 in his first season with the Angels. *1986 - The father-and-son team of Hal and Brian McRae appears together in an exhibition game for the Kansas City Royals. Brian, who will be sent back to the minor leagues before the start of the season, will not make his major league debut until 1990. The following summer, Brian will play for his father, who takes over as Royals manager. 1990s *1995 - Newly elected Hall of Famer Leon Day dies in Baltimore, Maryland, at the age of 78. A former Negro Leagues outstanding pitcher and superb contact hitter, Day had been elected to the HoF by the Veterans Committee just six days earlier. 2000s *2001 - At spring training, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel makes his first appearance since the 2000 playoffs in which he loss his control throwing seven wild pitches in three postseason appearances. Ankiel throws 22 strikes out of 29 pitches over two innings of shutout ball in his surprise start against the Mets. *2006 - Three games were played today in Round Two of the inaugural World Baseball Classic: **'Pool One:' ***At Angel Stadium, slugger Hee-Seop Choi hit a three-run home run as South Korea humbled the United States, 7–3, to maintain their unbeaten run at the WBC and leave US' title hopes in jeopardy. Ken Griffey, Jr. hit a solo homer and an RBI single. **'Pool Two:' ***At Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Odális Pérez pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings and David Ortiz powered the Dominican Republic to a key victory over Cuba, 7–3. Symbolic of that was a fifth-inning mammoth-blast by "Big Papi" -- hit clear out of the stadium. In the second game, Víctor Martínez belted a grand slam, Endy Chávez hit a two-run homer in consecutive days, and Carlos Zambrano combined with six pitchers on a seven-hitter shutout, and Venezuela defeated Puerto Rico, 6–0. Pool Two is all knotted up with 1-1 records among all four teams. **Legendary pitcher Bob Feller, who has been in the Hall of Fame longer than any other living player, said that controversial superstar Barry Bonds should be kept out of the exclusive club. **Ryan Howard hit his spring training-leading seventh home run, helping the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Detroit Tigers 3–2. **MLB agreed to a five-year contract with the North American Sports Network to televise about 275 games live each season. NASN, which gained rights to the All-Star game, the playoffs and the World Series, is televising the World Baseball Classic. The subscription network, based in Dublin, Ireland, broadcasts in Britain, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Iceland and the Netherlands. The deal is valued at $18 million to $20 million, according to Sports Business Journal. **The Atlanta Braves have extended their manager Bobby Cox a contract through the 2007 season, the team announced on its Web site. Births *1879 - Mal Eason, pitcher (d. 1970) *1886 - Frank (Home Run) Baker, Hall of Fame infielder (d. 1963) *1918 - Eddie Pellagrini, infielder *1931 - Don Bessent, pitcher (d. 1990) *1963 - Mariano Duncan, All-Star infielder *1964 - Will Clark, All-Star infielder *1971 - Scott Sullivan, pitcher *1979 - Johan Santana, All-Star pitcher Deaths *1929 - Sherry Magee, outfielder (b. 1884) *1932 - Sammy Strang, infielder (d. 1932) *1934 - Fielder Jones, outfielder (d. 1934) *1940 - Ira Flagstead, outfielder (b. 1893) *1994 - Buddy Rosar, All-Star catcher (b. 1914) *1995 - Leon Day, Hall of Fame Negro league player (b. 1916) *2000 - Harry Bright, outfielder (b. 1929) *2005 - Frank House, catcher (b. 1930)